Dilator



Patented Apr. 25, y1922 VAN DOUGLAS SCHAFF.

DILATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY`01192L 3,789

VAN DQUGLAS meuf?, @F WASHENGTGN, DESTRECT @E @LUMEIe DXLATR.

Appicatton alert July 3a,

To aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that i, VAN DOUGLAS Serrara,

" citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, 'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dilators', of which the following is a specification.

This invention mrelates to `improvements inv dilators and while the dilator. of the present invention is designed primarily for rectal use, the principles of the invention may ind dilators for-other body caviernployed in massaging themuscles by alternate distension and relaxation, and may be alsocemployed as a more or less permanent dilatmg medium.

The dilator embodying the linvention in` cludes .as one of itscomponent parts, van inlatable distending member, andl another obv ject of .the invention is to provide valved means for iniating this member and thus'dilating the saine to the required dimensions.,

and which means may beso manipulated as to provide for alternate dilation and collapse offthe distending member or a more gr less permanent dilation of the said mem- Another object of the invention is to support the distending member in such a lmanner that it ma vbe readily inserted in the cavity to be dilated and in proper position to best perform this function.

Another object of the invention isto pro# vide, in a device of this class, an inilating means for the distendinglmember which may be readily and conveniently assembled with and separated from the support for the member so that, when occasion requires. the inating means maybe employed to inflate the distending member and may then be separated from the support for the said member, leaving the member indated and within ythe cavity. f y

Another object of the invention is to provide in connection with the support for the inflatable distending member, a valve arranged to close automatically instantly up Specification of Letters Eatent.

ratentea apa et, ieee@ naar. serai nel teaser.

on separation of the inating means from the said support so that 'after the distendingym'ember has been inlated, the inating means may bel separated from the support for the said member and said member will remain inflated.

Another object of the invention lis to so construct the inatable distending member as to provide for dilation of this member in a manner to best yact upon the muscles of the cavity and without producing any appreciable elongation of said member.

@ther objects and advantages will appear v as the description proceeds.

ln the accompanying drawings: t Figure l is a perspective view of the dilator embodying the invention.

vFigure 2 1s va vertical axial sectional View therethrough.. 4

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view through `the distending member and its support, the said member being inflated to a degree,

Figure a is a plan view looking at the upi per end of the inflating bulb.

In general, the dilater embodying the in` vention comprises an inflatable distending member indicated in general by the numeral l, a support therefor indicated by the numeral 2, and an inating means indicated by the numeral 3, separably assembled with the support 2 and adapted to Vbe manipulated to supply airto the inflatable distending member l. lThe support 2 comprises a head t which may be of hard rubber or anyA other-material found suitable for the purpose vand which is approximately of double conical form and which is formed, below its line of maximum diameter, with a circumscribing roove 5 located above a circumscribing s oulder 6, which groove and shoulder permit the head to be firmly grasped in the hand while the dilater is being positioned and while the inlating means 3 isl being assembled with the head or separated therefrom. The head is provided in its lewer end with a tapered socket 7, the purpose ci which will presently be explained, and the head is formed at its upper end with an axially extending elongated valve casing 8 ot tubular form. The casing 8 may be integral with the head or formed separate therefrom and suitably connected dicated. by the numeral 9 and is continued as at l0, through the upper end portion of the head communicates at its lower end therewith, and the' bore of this casing is inric I*with the socket 7. At its outer end, the tubular-valve casing 8 is provided w-ith a subc cated by the numeral 13, and the lnumeral 14 indicates the ball valve which is designed lto rest upon lthe seat 13 andto control the passage of air through the bore of the valve casing. A stemv 1 5 extends from the valve head 14C through the bore 9 and the portion 10 thereof and at its lower end into the' socket 7 in the head 2, this stem being `provided at its said lower end with a ilat circular head 16 against which bears the lower end tot a coil. spring 17 disposed about the lower. end portion ot the. valve stem 15, the upper end ot 'this spring bearing against the top wall of the socket 7 as clearly shown in Figures 2and-3 of the drawings. ltv will now be understood that the spring 17 normally holds the valve .14 to its seat 13 and -that when the valve is closed, air cannot pass through the bore ofthe valve casing. However, the valve is to be moved to open position in a manner and by means to be presently described.

The inflatable distending member. 1 is preferably formed of sott rubber and the' same comprises a tubular body 18 vclosed at it outer end as'at 19,and provided at its inner end with a circumscribing bead 20 which is Yfitted into a circumscribing seating engage the head 16 at the lower'end of the channel 21 formedaboutthe upper portion of the bodvfi of the head 2. The bead 20' 1s designed to have asnug fit in the chan-v nel 21 so as to' provide an airtight con-A nection between the inner end of .the member 18 and the head 2. By reference to Figures 2 and 3 ofthe drawings` it will be observed that inflatable distending` member 18 completely encloses the tubular valve caslng 8 and that the said casing is of a length nearly equal to that of the body 18 of the member 1 so that even when the said member 1 is deflated it will be afforded support by the tubular valve casing and particularly 1n the operation of introducing the member 1 into the rectum or other cavity to be dilated. l v The member 1- is preferablyl formed with relatively thin walls so as to provide for ready inilatlon' and distensionbut it is pref#1` arable that the end 19 of said member'be -formed somewhat thicker than thewalls of thebody- 18 and that the member at its ,inner end be likewise somewhat thickened as indicated by the numeral 22so; that in the lirst instance, the admission. ot air under pressure into the member 1 will tend to circnmferentially distend' or expand this member wlthout likelihood of any appreciable elongation ,thereof due to the increased thickness of the head 19, which because of has been delivered into the netas/ee i its increased thickness is not so readily distensible as the Walls of' the body 18. Likewise, by forming the walls ot the said body somewhat thicker vat the inner end ot the body, these portions will not be dilated or distended to thesame extent as the main portion of the walls of the body.

'llhe intlating means of the device com-- prises a bulb which is Aindicated by the` numeral 2 3 'and which is neck 24 terminating ina nipple 25. The nipple 25 has an outerend portion 26 which l is reduced in diameter and tapered to conical form as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, and is-of a diameter to fit more or less e0 v snugly withiny the socket 7 of the head 2.. The nipple 25 is provided withan alr'passage 27 communicating at one end with 'the l bulb andopening at its otherend through the extremity of the portion26 of the nipple. 85

end of'the passage 27, 'but airumay pass around the said head 16 through the grooves or passages 28. lt will now be evident, and 95 particularly by reference to Fi ure2 ofthe 1 drawings, that'when the -nipp e 25 has its portion 26 fitted into the socket 7 in the head 2, the end of the said portion 26 will l0@ valve stern-15, and the stem will be shifted longitudinally in the bore of the. tubular valve casing, thereby lifting the valve 14. from its seat'13. Then, when vthe bulb 23 is compressed, air will be delivered throughwe the passage 27 and the bore ofthe valve Vcasing and through the openings 12 in the .end of the casing, into. the in'atable distending member 1, and the said member 1 will be y inflated and distended substantially as shown M@ in Figure 3. When thebulb 23is relieved of pressure, air will low back from the member 1 into the bulb, and the said member will collapse. Thus, b repeatedly compressing the bulb 2 3 an relieving the, same lille of pressure, the member 1 may be alternately iniated and deflated and will, therefore, be expanded and collapsed, thus massaging the muscles of the cavity in which fthedevice isf inserted. Should it be desiredv toA more '01120 less' permanently distend the cavityinto'- which, the distending member 1 is. fitted, this may be accomplished by pressing the bullbx23 t inHate 'and distend the member 1 tothe requisite degreewhereupon the bulb 125 23 may be immediately separated from the head 2 while pressure is` maintained therethe air which close the valve 14e. and trap stending'meinte@ provided with a short ber l. When it is desired to remove the distending member from the cavity, the finger may be insertedhin the socket T and the valve stem'shifted by pressure to unseat the valve and permit the escape of' the trapped air, or, if desired, the bulb 23 may be fitted to the head 2 and in this operation, as previously explained, the valve will be automatically moved to open position.

lVhile, as previously stated, the member vcoaction with the seat and having a stem extending Within the casing and into the head, an inflatable distending member en-v closing the valve casing and afforded support thereby, and inflating means separately connected With the said head and adapted to be manipulated to inflate the distendingy member.

2. A dilator comprising a head, an elongated valve casing extending therefrom and having a tip, said casing being formed With an air passage opening through the end of the tip, a valve seat within the casing, a valve for coaction with thesea-t and having a stem extending within the casing and into the head, an inflatable distending member enc-losing the valve casing and afforded support thereby and connected With the said head` and inflating means connected with the head and in communication with the adjacent end of the air passage in the valve casing.

dilator comprising a head, an elongated valve casing extending therefrom and having an air passage in its outer portion, a valve seat within the casing, a valve Jfor coaction with the seat and having a stem extending Within the casing and into the head, an inflatable distending member enclosing the valve casing and afforded support thereby in its collapsed condition, the head having a socket into which the end of' the valve stem projects, and inflating means including an element removably insertable in said socket and adapted upon insertion to engage the end of the val-ve stem and shift the same to unseat the valve.

4l. A dilator comprising a head, an elongated valve casing extending therefrom and having an air passage in its outer portion, a valve seat Withinthe casing, a valve for reaction with the seat and having a stein extending Within the casing and into the head, an inflatable distending member enclosing the valve casing and afforded support thereby in its collapsed condition, the head hav. ing a socket into which the end of the valve stem projects, and inflating means including an element removably insertable in said socket and adapted upon insertion to engage the end of the valve stem and shift the same to unseat the valve, and a spring upon the valve stem Within the socket in the head normally tending to seat the valve.

5. A dilator comprising a head having a socket, an elongated valve casing extending :from the head and having an air passage in its outer portion, avalve seat Within the casing, a valve for coaction with the seat and having its stem extending Within the casing and into the socket in the head, an inflatable distending member enclosing the valv'e casing and a-dorded support thereby in its collapsed condition, a bulb provided with a nipple removably fitted in said socket and having an air passage therethrough, a head upon the valve stem Within the socket engageable by the end of the nipple when the nipple is fitted into the socket whereby to edect opening of the valve, and means influencing movement of the valve to closed position.

6. A dilator comprising a head having a socket, an elongated valve casing extending from the head and having an air passage in its outer portion, a valve seat Within the casing, a valve for coaction with the 'seat andv having its stem extending within the casing and into the socket in the head, an inflatable distending member enclosing the valve casing and afforded support thereby in its collapted condition` a bulb provided with aI nipple removably fitted in said socket and having an air passage therethrough, a head upon the valve stem within the socket engageable by the end of the nipple when the nipple is fitted into the socket whereby to effect opening of the valve, and means influencing movement of'the valve to -closed position` the said end of the nipple being provided with air passages radial to the first mentioned passage in the nipple whereby to conduct air past the head upon the valv stein.A v

7. A dilator comprising an inflatable distending member, a head supporting the same, a. valve for controlling the passage of Huid under pressure to the distending member` and inflating means separably'assembled with the head and including an element coacting with t-he valve, in lts assembled relation, to unseat the same.

In testimony whereof afiix my signature.

VAN ponerlas serrare. [L 5.] 

